February 15, 2005
Contact: Susan Gwynne
(805) 893-2098
e-mail: susan.gwynne@sa.ucsb.edu
Two of the world’s greatest pianists—Emanuel Ax and Yefim Bronfman—share the stage for a spectacular recital at UCSB Campbell Hall
Summary Facts:
- Emanuel Ax & Yefim Bronfman, duo piano
- Two of classical music’s greatest pianists share the stage
- Both Ax and Bronfman are Grammy Award winners
- Their program features works by Schumann, Debussy, Ravel, and Stravinsky
- Sunday, March 20 / 7 pm
- UCSB Campbell Hall
- General public: $50 / UCSB students: $17
- Tickets/information: UCSB Arts & Lectures at (805) 893-3535
Emanuel Ax and Yefim Bronfman, two of classical music’s great pianists, join forces for a concert celebrating musical partnership and expressiveness at its finest on Sunday, March 20 at 7 pm at UCSB Campbell Hall. Emanuel Ax is renowned for his technical gifts and his poetic temperament. Fellow Grammy Award-winning pianist Yefim Bronfman, an Avery Fisher Prize winner, is consistently praised for captivating performances. Their program includes Schumann, Six Canonic Etudes, Op. 56; Debussy, En blanc et noir; Ravel, La valse; Stravinsky, Rite of Spring. The New York Times called one of their recitals “sheer excitement, exemplary music making.”
Ax and Bronfman came together for the first time to record Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances & Suites for 2 Pianos for a 2001 Sony release. These rarely recorded works showcase the pianists’ different approach and style. Acclaimed for his poetic lyricism and brilliant technique, Ax lets the music slide out from under his fingers. Bronfman’s dynamic interpretation brings tension and character to every phrase. Together these two extraordinary musicians create a delightful and emotionally charged listening experience. The Chicago Tribune called this recording “a marvel of digital dexterity, warmly romantic sentiment and jaw-dropping bravura.”
Emanuel Ax first captured public attention in 1974 when, aged 25, he won the first Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Competition in Tel Aviv. Five years later he took the coveted Avery Fisher Prize in New York. An RCA recording contract followed, and many of his recordings won top honors. In 1987 Ax became an exclusive Sony Classical artist. Recordings on this label include the two Liszt Concertos paired with the Schoenberg Concerto, two discs of solo Brahms, tangos by Piazzolla and Haydn Piano Sonatas (part of an ongoing Haydn cycle) for which he won a Grammy Award. Other discs that have recently been released are the Brahms Piano Concerto No 2 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Bernard Haitink and both Chopin Piano Concertos with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and Sir Charles Mackerras.
Ax is in demand all over the United States, both in recital and with orchestra, regularly performing in New York, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Philadelphia and Saint Louis. In addition, he makes regular festival appearances at Aspen, Blossom, Hollywood Bowl, Mainly Mozart, Ravinia and Tanglewood. Emanuel Ax is a particular supporter of 20th century composers and has given three world premieres in the last few seasons: Century Rolls by John Adams, Seeing by Christopher Rouse and Red Silk Dance by Bright Sheng. Devoted to chamber music literature, Emanuel Ax regularly performs duo recitals with cellist Yo-Yo Ma; their recordings together have earned three Grammy Awards. Ax also received a Grammy award for his Brahms Trio recording with Ma and Richard Stolzman.
As an exclusive Sony Classical artist, Yefim Bronfman has recorded the nine Prokofiev piano sonatas as well as the five piano concertos with Zubin Mehta and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. His recording of Bartok’s three piano concertos with Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Los Angeles Philharmonic garnered him the 1997 Best Instrumental Soloist Grammy. His chamber recordings include the Mozart sonatas with Isaac Stern. In 1991, he was awarded the Avery Fisher Prize—one of the highest honors given to an American instrumentalist. It was only the tenth such award to be given in fifteen years.
Highlights of Bronfman’s recent seasons have included concerts with the Berlin Philharmonic with Sanderling; the Chicago Symphony with Barenboim; the Cleveland Orchestra with Dohnányi; the Pittsburgh Symphony and Bayerische Rundfunk with Lorin Maazel; the New York Philharmonic and St. Petersburg Philharmonic with Jansons; and the Philadelphia Orchestra with Dutoit.
Like his recital partner Emanuel Ax, Bronfman is a devoted chamber music performer; he has collaborated with the Emerson, Cleveland, Guarneri and Juilliard quartets, as well as the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. He has also played chamber music with Yo-Yo Ma, Joshua Bell, Lynn Harrell, Shlomo Mintz, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Pinchas Zukerman and many other artists.
Emanuel Ax & Yefim Bronfman are presented by UCSB Arts & Lectures and sponsored by Montecito Magazine and KDB 93.7 FM Classical Music. Tickets are $50 for the general public and $17 for UCSB students who must show valid ID at ticket purchase and the evening of the show.
For tickets or more information,
call UCSB Arts & Lectures at (805) 893-3535.
Editor: For photos, please call
Susan Gwynne at (805) 893-2098.